Status: Read on January 14, 2015 — I own a copy {Courtesy the publisher}

My Thoughts:

Billed as story with a modern twist on the classic fairytale story of Rapunzel, the two stories share several elements. In essence, Sage was given to her grandmother (the wicked witch) in exchange for her mother’s desires and then kept captive, albeit in an ivory tower. And it is a ‘Prince’ who saves Sage, though not in the manner touted by Disney, and their separation and reunion, has more in common with the original Grimm tale.

Let Down Your Hair isn’t a light read though, there isn’t a lot of humour and the romance is sidelined. Instead, this is a coming of age story in which Price explores a fairly specific agenda related to ‘women’s’ issues such as body image, the portrayal of women in popular culture and feminism.

Price deliberately uses stereotypes to emphasise her themes. Sage’s grandmother, Andrea is a feminist zealot, rejecting anything male, while Sage’s mother, Emmeline, is the quintessential shallow beauty, whose self worth is tied to her attractiveness, especially to men. Astute readers will however glean that the views of both women were shaped in reaction to particular incidents. (view spoiler)

Caught between two such extremes, Sage struggles to find a moderate path that suits her, and her journey is a difficult one. Condemned by her controlling grandmother when her relationship with Ryan is discovered, then rejected for a second time by her mother, and separated from her lover, she finds herself pregnant and alone.

Let Down Your Hair is well written, offering an interesting and engaging modern day spin on Grimm’s Rapunzel.